ACCC warns on trademark invoice scam

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commissions has warned SME business owners to be vigilant of mail scams, after receiving over 150 complains in the last month about a trademark scam.

Victims of the scam receive an invoice in the mail demanding payment of what appears to be from a trademark registration agency.

ACCC deputy chair Michael Schaper said businesses that receive an invoice and are unsure of its validity should seek independent advice and report to the ACCC and relevant industry bodies, who can then warn other members.

Schaper says SMEs are being targetted by mailout scams, including scams around domain name registrations, listings on online directories and advertisements in publications.

“It is all too easy for the inexperienced not to notice or understand the subtle difference between a ‘.com’ or ‘.com.au’ domain name,” Schaper says.

“Once the money is paid the business becomes the owner of a new domain and has not renewed their existing one.”

He has the following advice for SMEs hit with scam mail:

• Don’t assume that any ‘renewal’ notice is from your original supplier. You may receive many such offers from operators competing for your business or they could be scammers. Check all the details.
• Ensure that only authorised employees are responsible for payments and they should have ready access to important dates and suppliers. Update them on any scam or unsolicited service that may be targetting businesses.
• If the service is something that you would like, shop around to see what deals are available and who are the most reliable suppliers.
• If you receive letters of demand you may need to get legal advice to understand your rights.
• Alert your industry association or local business advisor about any offers that you think may be untoward or misleading. They may be able to warn others in your network.